In the guide that runs beneath these reviews each week, four stars means “excellent.” And excellent can mean a lot of things.

To me it’s more than solid food and good technique. It’s about innovation, uniqueness, excelling at things most aren’t even attempting.

That’s how you earn four stars.

And that is Point 57.

The restaurant opened in late February after a lengthy and transformational renovation of the space that once housed The Dog and Lazy Flamingo on Del Prado Boulevard in Cape Coral. The sleek, all-new building is unrecognizable; awash in light woods, white paint and cool tilework in subtle shades of gray and aqua.

A view of the bar at Point 57, which opened Feb. 8 in Cape Coral.(Photo: Annabelle Tometich/The News-Press)

Pendant lights drip from the ceilings like clusters of fruit. Wooden poles form see-through walls delineating the host stand from the dining room and bar without interrupting the flow. In a town where most restaurant renovations are slipshod at best, Point 57 is a breath of fresh air.

And we’ve only just begun.

That bar offered my first taste of Point 57’s culinary genius, a rum-based Old Fashioned made with 12-year Diplomatico Reserva, bitters and citrus peels. And then there was the Garden Gimlet crafted with botanical gin, lime and something called garden bitters, which I’ll credit for the dainty drink’s grassy backbone. Or the Ancho Paloma made with blanco tequila, ancho-infused liqueur, grapefruit, lime and agave nectar, then served in a Collins glass rimmed in black-lava salt — which I didn’t even know was a thing.

Point 57 has a way of introducing you to things you didn’t know were things. Like crisp spring rolls stuffed with shredded pork and smoked gouda; their richness balanced by a tangle of yellow-mustard slaw and a shooter of vinegary dipping sauce.

Fat mushroom caps come stuffed with chorizo then drenched in a crab fondue so ridiculously creamy it sends your eyes rolling back in your head. Where the spring rolls have balance, these mushrooms have a base of garlic toast with a buttery crunch (screw balance) and an $8 price tag (Who knew that was a thing?).

The Ancho Paloma made with blanco tequila, ruby-red grapefruit juice, ancho-infused liqueur, lime, and black-lava sea salt. It's one of 10 craft libations at Point 57 in Cape Coral.
Special to The News-Press

Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:

These things come from chef-owner Matt Arnold, the classically trained, Southern-infused, Kansas guy who dreamt up this place and had the gumption to make it real.

Credit him for the juicy chicken brined in sweet tea and then smoked (because one level of flavor is never enough). And for the blackened catfish served with ham-flecked collard greens and a tomato-okra compote; it’s served over a creamy bed of hominy and bacon that’s like some clever, Deep South take on risotto.

And while I could continue to rave (about the smoked fish dip served in soft flakes, and the Gulf shrimp and grits (by grits I mean, creamy-butter-velvet)), Point 57 — as I’ve mentioned — isn’t perfect.

While always perfectly tender, the crispy pork shank, slow braised then flash fried until the edges get all lovely and chewy, looked more like a pork wing one night — though the blue-cheese infused grits helped (they always do). I had a similar sizing issue with a so-called wedge salad that was more like a few leaves of iceberg. And with a wonderfully medium-rare hangar steak that looked more like the hook end of a hanger.

The crispy pork shank with blue-cheese grits from Point 57 Kitchen & Cocktails in Cape Coral.(Photo: Special to The News-Press)

To be fair, it’s only been five weeks.

But in those five weeks, this stunning restaurant has nailed so much. Should you swing into the bar late after work for a nightcap, there is no need to ask for water. It will appear, like magic, the moment you realize you’re thirsty. Should your fork be flecked with remnants of grits, there is no need to wipe it off before digging into the blondie drizzled in bourbon-toffee sauce (OMG OMG); a new fork will be proffered, as if from thin air.

The rum Old Fashioned is among the craft cocktails served at Point 57 Kitchen & Cocktails in Cape Coral.(Photo: Special to The News-Press)

The only thing better than Chef Arnold’s food is his staff. They’re genuine and warm, and really good at maintaining their graciousness, like when a couple wandered in 15 minutes after close and the bartender barely batted an eyelash.

Four stars isn’t about being perfect, though bouts of perfection certainly don’t hurt. It’s about being really, really good — Point-57 level good.

Jean Le Boeuf is the pseudonym used by a local food lover who dines at restaurants anonymously and without warning, with meals paid for by The News-Press. Follow the critic at facebook.com/jeanleboeufswfl or @JeanLeBoeuf on Twitter and Instagram